Pennsylvania Water Science Center

The Pennsylvania Water Science Center is looking for two recent graduates, one focused on groundwater and one on water quality, to join our team. These are Term Pathways appointments for one year, with possible conversion to permanent. Ph.D. or M.S. graduates preferred.
U.S. Citizenship is required.

A report on the groundwater quality of Potter County is the latest of seven publications characterizing water quality of aquifers underlying central and northern tier counties. Wells were sampled throughout Potter County with funding support from Commonwealth Financing Authority through the...

Hurricane Isaias swept over eastern Pennsylvania August 4^th and 5^th, dumping upwards of 8 inches of rain and resulting in wide-spread flooding. New high flow records included a measured streamflow of 6,920 cubic feet per second in the East Branch Brandywine Creek below Downingtown, Pennsylvania, the highest since the gage was installed almost 50 years ago.

USGS groundwater and surface water monitoring data contributed to the August 21, 2020 drought watch declaration by the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection. The last drought watch ended in May 2017.

UPDATE (September 10, 2020): PaDEP Expands Drought Watch to 18 Counties, Declares Drought Warning for Potter County

Matthew C. Gyves, a Hydrologic Technician in the Pennsylvania Water Science Center's Downingtown Office, received the 2020 "Data Person of the Year" award from the USGS Water Resources Mission Area. 

To learn more about USGS’s role in providing science to decision makers before, during, and after Hurricane Isaias, visit the USGS Hurricane Isaias page at https://www.usgs.gov/isaias. 

Introducing the Pennsylvania Water Science Center’s Newsletter, Pennsylvania Waters. Our newsletter will be published periodically to keep you informed of the latest USGS water-resources information for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Articles present new data, reports, activities, and outreach from our center as well as USGS national and regional programs. 
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Melinda Chapman, recently appointed Director of the Pennsylvania Water Science Center (previously Assistant Chief of the USGS Office of Groundwater), introduces the first issue of the Pennsylvania Waters newsletter, available via http://www.usgs.gov/pennsylvania-waters-newsletters.

A USGS study characterized groundwater flow paths from possible PFAS sources at three former and active military facilities in southeastern Pennsylvania. The new research will help federal, state and local officials, water resource managers and the public as they work to address PFAS contamination in groundwater and surface water used for private and public water supply.

USGS staff participated in Science Night at Fishing Creek Elementary School, where students learned about the native macroinvertebrate* population in nearby Yellow Breeches Creek.

Maximum likelihood logistic regression (MLLR) is used to estimate drought probabilities for selected Northeast rivers and streams. Winter streamflows are used to estimate the chance of hydrologic drought during summer months. This application allows the display and query of these drought streamflow probabilities for Northeastern streams.